Presently, access to privately managed mobile communications networks, such as cellular radio networks, requires that users subscribe to a service plan with a carrier network provider. Service plans can include access to services, such as, voice, text messaging, and data. Pricing of such service plans typically set limits on delivery volumes per service during a given billing period. For example, a plan subscriber might be allotted a budget of voice minutes, text messages, and/or megabytes of data per month. A subscriber's usage of the various subscribed services would generally be tracked by the carrier network provider for billing purposes.
Access to such privately managed mobile communications networks includes certain precautions such that services are restricted to authorized subscribers. For example, a subscriber registers a mobile communications device, such as a mobile phone, with the service provider. Through various protocols and as a result of the registration and/or personalization process, the service provider is able to provide access to the subscribed services automatically, without a subscriber having to manually register or login. Registration can include identification of a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) associated with a particular mobile communications device.
A SIM can include a unique and reliable means of identification, such as an Integrated Circuit Card Identifier (ICCID). The ICCID is stored on the SIM and can also be engraved on the SIM module. The ICCID is defined by the ITU-T recommendation E.118 as a “primary account number.” SIMs are also identified on a carrier network by a unique International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI). The IMSI identifies a mobile country code, a mobile network code, and a Mobile Subscriber Identification Number (MSIN). Such information can be used to coordinate network access and billing, such that subscribers of one network can obtain services through a separately managed mobile communication network. The SIM can also include an authentication key (Ki), assigned by a mobile operator during a registration and/or personalization process. The authentication key can also be stored by the carrier network and used to automatically authorize access to a subscriber associated with the authentication key.
Some service plans accommodate other features, such as registration of more than one device for a subscriber, e.g., a mobile phone and a tablet computer, or sharing of network resources among multiple subscribers, e.g., family members, under the service plan.